News from all around the world

Aug. 04, 2024, 04:16 PM

Newcomers seeking to immigrate to Canada must obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to qualify for certain Express Entry programs and enhance their chances of being invited to apply for permanent residence.

If your goal is to move to and settle in Canada, then receiving an ECA should be on your checklist. Here are three reasons to choose WES for your ECA.

Equipped with 50 years of international education research and evaluation experience, WES has extensive expertise you can trust. Utilizing its comprehensive database and knowledgeable staff from over 60 countries, WES has completed more than four million credential evaluations.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires economic class immigration candidates to provide an assessment from one of its pre-approved credential evaluation services. WES is one of these designated providers. In addition to being accepted by IRCC, WES reports are widely accepted by thousands of academic, licensing, employment, and government bodies in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand.

When you order an ECA from WES, we store your report and verified academic documents for future use. This means you don’t have to worry about misplacing your report. To pursue other opportunities in Canada, such as employment, higher education, and licensing, simply return to WES, upgrade your ECA, and order a new credential evaluation (such as a Course-by-Course or Document-by-Document report).

WES also offers a convenient way to renew your ECA, which is valid for five years. Your ECA must be current when you submit your Express Entry profile or apply for permanent residence. If you need to renew your ECA, you can do so by logging in to your WES Account. Read this article to learn more.

WES is a non-profit social enterprise committed to supporting the educational, economic, and social inclusion of immigrants, refugees, and international students. In addition to its credential evaluation services, WES develops, manages, and invests in social impact programming and systems change. Learn more about WES’ social impact programs.

Are you ready to begin the ECA process? WES is here to help you take the next step toward beginning your next chapter in Canada.

Read this article for a step-by-step guide to applying for an ECA, or visit wes.org/ca to learn more and begin your ECA application.

Jun. 03 , 2024, 10:56 PM

Deciding where to live can be tricky, but our Best Places to Live rankings can help.

Sometimes you're ready for a change to a new city, and sometimes that change is thrust upon you. Whether you're carefully weighing your options to find the city where you want to live for the next 10 years or you're trying to decide if a cross-country job offer is worth uprooting your life, there are a lot of factors to consider.

Once you’ve figured out which factors are most important to you, it becomes a matter of fitting your needs and wants with your finances. “How many of these things can we check off within the budget that they’re wanting to stay in?” says Matt Curtis, a real estate broker in Madison, Alabama.

The U.S. News Best Places to Live ranking looks at key criteria for 150 major U.S. cities, in categories such as affordability, quality of life, job market, desirability and net migration. The scores in each category are weighted based on the results of a survey of more than 3,000 U.S. residents, asking what they believe is the most important factor when choosing where to live.

For your own move, you may be focusing on the job market, or you may be most interested in finding a great neighborhood.

Here's a breakdown of the most important factors to consider when moving:

• Cost of living.
• Job availability.
• Desirability and happiness.
• Crime.
• Quality of education.
• Commute.
• Quality and availability of health care.
  

Whether you're moving across the country or across town, the cost of living plays a major role in whether you'll be able to live comfortably. Based on your salary, would you be able to afford monthly mortgage payments or rent, property taxes and utilities where you're looking to move?

Depending on the reason for your move, you may consider a city with a lower cost of living to afford a home closer to work or your preferred type of home, as opposed to living on the outskirts of a pricier city.

"During my first chat with clients we are establishing budgets, home styles (and) size, timelines and ideal locales. I have had a few clients from out of the area become interested in the Baltimore market because of affordability and an influx of renovations in the area," Jayde David, a real estate agent with Vylla in the Baltimore area, wrote in an email.

For the Best Places to Live ranking, cost of living is calculated in the Value Index, which accounts for 27% of a city's final score. It looks at how a city's median household income compares to the median total cost of living, considering mortgage payments, rent, taxes and utilities. It also considers price parity, or the cost of goods and services to make them comparable from place to place.

It might be a job that's taking you to a new city, whether it’s because you need to be close to an office or because remote work options give you permanent location flexibility for the first time.

The U.S. Census reported more than 44% moved so they could retire and 22.8% moved due to a new job or a job transfer.

The Best Places to Live ranking weighs job market as 22% of the final score, considering average annual salary and area unemployment rate, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Desirability and Happiness

Your ability to be happy in a new city shouldn't be overlooked.

If you love the amenities that come with a big city, selecting a small town outside a major city may not be the best choice for you. If you thrive in hot weather, Green Bay, Wisconsin, or Anchorage, Alaska, may not be the best place to move for work.

The Best Places to Live ranking looks at the desirability of a city, based on a SurveyMonkey survey asking U.S. residents where they would like to live. It also considers net migration to a city over a five-year period, based on U.S. Census Bureau data, which shows whether people are acting on a desire to move to a specific place.

The Desirability Index, 19% of a city's total score, also looks at weather temperateness, the number of days in city over 32 degrees Fahrenheit but under 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and the establishments-to-population ratio, calculating the total number of restaurants and drinking establishments per 100,000 people.

Even after you've picked an area that appeals to you, you still have a variety of choices, from the city center to a quieter neighborhood, the suburbs or even the outskirts of the area.

"Budget and lifestyle are going to determine the areas for my clients," David says. "A (single-family home) with a yard? We will look to the outskirts of the city. Looking for a starter home with a high walk score near bars? Let's look downtown."

The Best Places to Live ranking also assesses quality of life, measuring how satisfied residents are with their daily lives in each ranked city, along with how affected the specific city is to life-impacting factors. The Quality of Life Index makes up 32% of a city's total score.

It considers the overall well-being of a city's residents, based on the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index, which asks people about their happiness, sense of community pride and sense of security where they live. It looks at air quality, using the most recent monthly average air quality index from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It also evaluates a city's risk to natural hazards and community risk factors, including social vulnerability and community resilience.

Crime is often a concern when people look to move to a city or neighborhood they're unfamiliar with. The idea of being the victim of a crime is a very real fear for many people, and even prevalent property crimes, like car theft, can have additional ramifications, like higher average car insurance rates.

However, crime statistics rarely show the full picture, often fail to reveal built-in bias and shouldn't be taken at face value. Data available online or calling the local police department can help provide some information, but Curtis advises you visit the area and experience it for yourself.

“It’s also important to go back in person a few times if those things are important to the buyer,” Curtis says. Visit in the evening, during the day on a weekend and around the time kids get out of school on a weekday to get a better feel for the neighborhood.

Property crime, violent crime and murder rates are a part of the methodology for the Best Places to Live ranking because consumers often place an emphasis on this information, but it remains a smaller portion of the overall score.

If you're moving with school-age children or plan to have children, education likely weighs heavily on your mind. Most cities offer a variety of schooling options for children, and it's important to look closely at the information about a school that will help your student succeed.

The Best Places to Live ranking pulls data on college readiness among high school students from the U.S. News Best High Schools ranking. When narrowing down neighborhoods, the Best High Schools ranking can help you see a more holistic view of a school, including graduation rate, performance of underserved student groups and more.

With more people than ever working their office job from home, the commute into an office matters less than it did before. Still, the average commute to work can be a good signifier of the prevalence of traffic when it comes to getting around running errands and popping into the office.

Curtis recommends looking at the distance to a preferred grocery store, gym, restaurants, running trails or anywhere else that will be frequent haunts once you’re moved in. Some people don’t mind a long drive or sitting in a bit of traffic for one or two activities, while others may consider too far a drive to a favorite grocer to be a dealbreaker.

If you're at the peak of health, you may not place priority on living within 10 minutes of a major hospital, but it can be a concern if you find yourself not near a health care system you feel you can trust.

Curtis says that unless a person moving to the area has an existing condition requiring regular health care, proximity to a highly rated hospital or a preferred physician rarely comes up in a conversation about buying a home. “Unfortunately for most it’s probably an afterthought,” he says.

If you’re moving to a new city and you consider your health care a priority, do more than a quick search to be confident in the care available to you. “If it’s a growing city, sometimes health care availability doesn’t keep up,” Curtis says, noting that in areas with a booming population, some doctors’ offices may not be accepting new patients.

Best Places to Live pulls from the U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings for proximity to quality health care.

Sept. 10 , 2023, 08:10 AM

The 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies. A G20 Leaders’ Declaration will be adopted at the conclusion of the G20 Summit, stating Leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings. 

April 10 , 2023, 09:10 AM

The traditionally male-dominated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields are often synonymous with the oil and gas industry, requiring the robust application of these disciplines from the early phases of exploration to the final stages of decommissioning. Introducing girls and young women to the innovative wonder of the STEM world has long been the mission of TechFest, a Scotland-based nonprofit dedicated to providing quality STEM events throughout the country. In celebration of International Women in Science Day, an event was hosted at Apache offices in Aberdeen, gathering approximately 130 school children — most of them girls from surrounding areas — to tinker with makeshift robots, hear from STEM professionals and meet fellow students with similar passions.

“We were honored to host this event and know that many of the questions faced today by the energy industry could possibly be answered by the aspiring young scientists who joined us at Apache,” said Jillian Owen, U.K. country manager. “Our industry requires exceptional talent of all backgrounds, and we believe the next generation plays an important role in navigating current and future energy challenges.”

The two keynote speakers were Alison McLure, head of Institute of Physics Scotland and Sinead Farrington, professor of experimental particle physics at the University of Edinburgh. Several Apache volunteers were on site to support the event and share their experiences working at the company.

“It was lovely to see the enthusiasm of the children who attended the event,” said Abbie H., process engineer and Apache volunteer. “They had great knowledge and were keen to ask lots of questions. They all wanted to know more about what subjects I studied and what being an engineer involves.”

Although the number of women in STEM fields has increased in recent years, there is still room for growth. Engaging with younger generations at an earlier age is one strategy TechFest has employed, hosting numerous events throughout the Northeast of Scotland and partnering with companies supporting efforts to expand STEM education.

“The opportunity to be inspired by some of the people that they’ve met today is an invaluable experience for our young people,” said Sarah Chew, TechFest managing director. “We are deeply grateful to Apache for providing this real-world space for our students to visit as they engage with topics that can positively impact their future careers.”

March 27, 2023, 02:49 PM

According to recent data from Statistics Canada, the country’s total population is estimated to be over 39.5 million (as of January 1, 2023). This means that, for the first time ever, Canada’s population grew by over one million people in a single year.

This comes as Canada experienced a record-high population growth of 1,050,110 people between January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2023.

At +2.7%, 2022 saw Canada mark its highest population growth rate in 65 years (+3.3% in 1957). If Canada’s current population growth rate were to remain steady, Statistics Canada estimates suggest that the country’s population would double in approximately 26 years.

Whereas Canada’s growth rate in 1957 was largely a result of the post-war baby boom and refugee immigration due to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, nearly all of Canada’s population growth last year was a product of international migration (95.9%).

Canada’s population growth in 2022 was led by temporary immigration, as this country “saw a net increase” of around 607,782 “non-permanent residents.”

Canada’s 600,000+ increase in temporary residents for 2022 marks yet another single-year record high for the country. According to the reported data, this increase in temporary residents was spread across the country, with all of Canada’s provinces and territories seeing growth in the number of work permits, study permits, and asylum claimants.

In 2022, Canada also set a new record for the number of immigrants welcomed in one year (over 437,000).

Both of these single-year records, for total immigration and non-permanent residents, are the product of a conscious effort from the Government of Canada to use immigration as a means of addressing nationwide labour shortages. As Canada seeks to handle high job vacancies and near record-low unemployment rates, the government is welcoming record-high levels of immigration to counteract the challenges created for the national labour market as a result of this country’s aging natural population and low birth rate.

In fact, Canada’s record-setting year for population growth comes as a near-direct result of higher-than-ever immigration targets and a record-breaking year with respect to the processing of immigration applications.

Note: Canada’s latest Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025 indicates that the government hopes to further increase immigration over the next three years, with total annual immigration targets as high as 500,000 in 2025.

Immigration factors into population growth across Canada by bringing three general groups of the international population into this country. These groups include permanent residents, international students and foreign skilled workers.

Permanent residents

In 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data indicates that Canada welcomed over 437,000 new permanent residents (PRs) from over 190 countries. Exceeding the target set out in the Immigration Levels Plan for 2022-2024 (431,000+), this figure represents a nearly eight percent increase from 2021.

According to the data, more than half of all PRs (58%) came to Canada through economic immigration programs in 2022. Meanwhile, 22.2% of PRs that arrived in Canada last year were family-class immigrants and 17.2% of all Canadian permanent residents were admitted as refugees or protected persons.

International students

551,405 new international students arrived in Canada last year from 184 countries.

The following 10 countries produced the highest number of new international students that came to Canada in 2022:

1. India (226,450)
2. People’s Republic of China (52,165)
3. Philippines (23,380)
4. France (16,725)
5. Nigeria (16,195)
6. Iran (13,525)
7. Republic of Korea (11,535)
8. Japan (10,955)
9. Mexico (10,405)
10. Brazil (10,405)

Ontario (411,000 students) led the way with respect to the chosen province of study among Canadian international students last year. British Columbia was second on this list (164,000) and the top three was rounded out by Quebec (93,000).

The remaining seven Canadian provinces are ranked as follows on this list.

4. Alberta (43,000)

5. Manitoba (22,000)

6. Nova Scotia (20,850)

7. Saskatchewan (13,135)

8. New Brunswick (11,140)

9. Newfoundland and Labrador (6,175)

10. Prince Edward Island (4,485)

Foreign skilled workers

A record-high 608,420 work permits took effect across Canada in 2022. This figure means that nearly 200,000 more work permits took effect last year than in 2021 (414,000).

Breaking down that figure, it is evident that most work permit holders (77%, 472,070 permit holders) that came to Canada in 2022 did so via the International Mobility Program (IMP). The remaining 136,350 permits were issued through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Among all IMP work permits that came into effect last year, the highest percentage of permits (36%) were held by medical residents and fellows, and post-graduate employment applicants. Most TFWP work permits (51%), on the other hand, were held by agriculture workers in 2022.

Note: Click here to see a full breakdown of work permits by TFWP/IMP stream in 2022

Statistics Canada also notes that Q4 2022 marked Canada’s highest population growth rate (+0.7%) of any fourth quarter since 1956 (also +0.7%).

The final three months of 2022 saw Canada add 83,152 immigrants to the national population, at a time when Canada also welcomed “the most estimated net new non-permanent residents (+196,262) of any fourth quarter for which [there exists] comparable data.”

In line with general trends in 2022, population growth in Q4 of last year was almost entirely (97.7%) attributable to international migration.

Note: Q4 is represented by the period between October 1 and December 31, 2022

March 23, 2023, 01:49 PM

Canada works to embrace the beliefs of all newcomers regardless of their backgrounds, and part of that is being aware of all major religious celebrations and observances.

The country prides itself on multiculturalism and embracing the religions of all newcomers. The Canadian Multiculturalism Act ensures that all people in Canada, regardless of their immigration status, have the right to freedom of belief without persecution.

Islam is the second most commonly reported religion in Canada according the 2021 census from Statistics Canada. The census says between 2001 and 2021, the population of Muslims in Canada has grown from 2% of the overall population to 4.9%. This accounts for nearly 1.8 million people.

The census attributes the growth in Canada’s Muslim population to immigration. Nearly one-quarter of Canada’s population is an immigrant and data shows that between 2011 and 2021, 18.9% of immigrants reported being Muslim. Most live in Ontario, which reported an Islamic population of 6.7%.

Ramadan is a religious holiday for Muslims and is celebrated on the ninth month of the lunar calendar. For 2023, it falls between March 22 or 23 (depending on your location) and April 22. It is a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and charity that ends with Eid, one of the most important holidays in the Islamic year.

In Canada, senior political and business leaders commemorate Ramadan by issuing statements and attending or hosting iftars to break the fast. The Prime Minster issues a special statement to mark Ramadan and acknowledge the contributions of Islamic Canadians.

Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days depending on the year and always moves by 12 days. Over a few years, it can move from the long nights of winter into spring or summer when the days then become much longer.

This means that when Ramadan falls in the spring or summer, those who live in Canada’s more northern communities have longer to wait until the sun goes down and only a short interval before it comes up again. In Toronto, Canada’s largest city, Muslims who are observing Ramadan this year can expect to fast for just over 13 hours a day throughout April. Those in Whitehorse will be waiting 15 hours between meals by the end of the month.

Another aspect of Ramadan is giving money to those who are less fortunate, known as Zakat. Zakat is purely monetary, and it is expected that those who make above a certain level of income will give some of their money to charity. During Ramadan, charitable organizations across Canada will host iftars and other large events to raise money for the less fortunate Muslims, both in Canada and abroad.

There are over 20 mosques in each of Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton, and Calgary. Observant Muslims pray five times a day throughout the entire year but during Ramadan, it is encouraged to spend more time in prayer. Some Muslims take time to recite Tarawih, which means reading portions of the Qur’an each day throughout the month. This can be done at home or the mosque.

Ramadan ends with Eid ul-Fitr. Typically, the day starts by putting on brand-new clothes and going to the mosque for prayers. The rest of Eid is devoted to good food and visiting friends and family. Households will have sweets like mithai, dates or baklava, depending on their traditions, to entertain guests throughout the day.

March 21, 2023, 01:24 PM

Canada offers many distinct work permit options to global talent.

One category of Canada’s work permit options is called closed work permits, which require foreign skilled workers to work exclusively with a single employer. In this case, the employer must have obtained a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before providing the foreign national with a job offer. An LMIA is used to ensure that the hiring of a foreign national with have a neutral or positive impact on the Canadian labour market.

A closed work permit, also known as an employer-specific work permit, allows you to work in Canada according to the conditions associated with the work permit, such as:

• The name of the specific employer you can work for,
• How long you can work,
• The location of your work.

If you lose your job while holding a valid closed work permit, you will no longer be able to work for your current employer or work another job for a different employer. However, for as long as the permit remains valid, you can legally stay in Canada without employment.

If you wish to continue working, you must change the conditions of your work permit. If you want to start a new job, you must qualify for and apply for a new work permit. You are not allowed to start working a new job for a new employer before you get a new work permit with new conditions of employment.

You may also apply to switch to an open work permit. An open work permit is not tied to one employer or occupation. In other words, open work permits allow for freedom of movement between workplaces, employers, occupations, or locations (within Canada). You can apply for an open work permit from inside or outside Canada.

In addition, open work permits are exempt from some of the requirements associated with obtaining a closed permit in Canada. You do not need to have a job offer or a positive LMIA to be eligible for an open work permit.

If you are being abused or are at risk of being abused at your place of employment in Canada, you may be eligible for an open work permit for vulnerable workers.

The open work permit for vulnerable workers is designed to protect your rights as a worker in Canada by helping you leave an exploitative or abusive work situation and find a new job. However, it is a temporary solution, meaning it has an expiry date and it cannot be renewed.

Once you hold this type of permit, you are given time to find a new employer and apply for a new work permit.

March 13, 2023, 11:44 AM

The $12.7 million Australia-India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership (AICCTP) contributes to the Australian Government's priorities to promote a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The AICCTP complements the Australia-India Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation signed by Australia’s former minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Marise Payne and India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar as part of the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership announced during the Leaders’ Virtual Summit on 4 June 2020.

AICCTP Grant Round 2 priority areas

The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.0%, which is just shy of the record-low 4.9% that was seen in the summer of 2022. There were just over 1 million unemployed persons in Canada in February, which is essentially unchanged from January.

The next generation of technological developments merges new discoveries in physical, digital, and biological systems. India and Australia have a key role to play in contributing to the global development of critical and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), next generation telecommunications (5G/6G), Internet of Things (IoT), quantum computing, synthetic biology, blockchain and big data.

The Partnership’s 2021-22 grant program (Grant Round 2) will consider proposals for practical cooperation and collaboration on cyber and critical technology, which will help shape a global technology environment that meets Australia and India’s shared vision of an open, free, rules-based Indo-Pacific region.

What activities are eligible for an AICCTP grant?

Grant Round 2 will prioritise emerging and critical technology-related proposals that focus on the following areas:

1. activities that facilitate Australia-India research partnerships, in particular involving academics and think tanks, to strengthen understanding of ethical frameworks for emerging and critical technologies, and the development of best practice on translating ethical frameworks (including existing global frameworks like the G20 AI Principles) into practical action;
2. initiatives that encourage the development of technical critical technology standards that advance Australia and India’s interests, and enable more meaningful engagement in international standards discussions; and
3. research on the trends shaping the global and technology marketplace or that assesses the opportunities and effectiveness of ethical frameworks or technical standards for emerging and critical technologies.

The AICCTP grant program guidelines (link below) set out the full details and requirements of Grant Round 2, including the assessment criteria.

To be eligible you must:

• be located in Australia and have a partner institution that is located in India for the purposes of the activity; or
• be located in India and have a partner institution that is located in Australia for the purposes of the activity

and be one of the following entity types:

• a company incorporated in Australia or India
• a company incorporated by guarantee
• an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• an incorporated association
• a partnership
• a joint (consortia) application with a lead organisation
• a not-for-profit organisation
• a think tank or research organisation
• an Australian state or territory government body
• an Indian sub-national government body.

Joint applications involving more than one organisation are acceptable. 

Indian applicants should ensure they comply with the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) in relation to the project, including holding a FCRA certificate if applicable. Information supplied by applicants may be shared with Indian and Australia government agencies.

For any single grant proposal, the minimum is $150,000 per year and the maximum amount is $600,000 per year. Multiyear grants will be considered up to a maximum of $250,000 per year for up to three years from 2021-22 to 2023‑24. Grant funding for activities in 2022-23 will be contingent on funding becoming available to DFAT under the AICCTP.

In total, we anticipate that a total of up to $1.8 million in funding would be available for single-year and multi-year grant proposals awarded in grant round 2.

Prospective grantees cannot use funding from other Commonwealth, state, territory or local government sources to fund your share of eligible expenditure. DFAT reserves the right to offer less funding than that requested by the applicant.

Grant Round 2 can support:

• Personnel - Eligible labour expenditure for the grant covers the direct labour costs of employees you directly employ on the core elements of the project.
• Direct costs of the eligible grant activities.
• Travel – Costs for domestic and/or international economy class airfares and modest accommodation and per diems that are essential for delivery of the project.
• Equipment – DFAT will only fund ‘small equipment’ or software specific to the project proposal. ‘Small equipment’ is defined as equipment under a total of $10,000 that is used collaboratively and, where possible, is Australian made. Computing equipment or software should be specialised and required for the completion of the project.
• Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) – As a key component of the program, costs associated with MEL processes and activities to inform program reporting and learning should be identified separately within the indicative budget outline.
• Administrative support.

All AICCTP grant applications must be submitted through our online grants management system SmartyGrants.

To apply you must:

• have read and understand the AICCTP grant guidelines (DOCX/PDF)
• complete the online application form on DFAT’s online grant application system SmartyGrants and provide all the information requested
  • (Update: the online application form has been updated to allow the optional entry of FY23-24 financial information.)
• submit your application/s by 17:00hrs AEDT (11:30hrs IST) on Monday 18 October 2021.

If you have any questions while completing your application, kindly contact CyberAffairs@dfat.gov.au. Questions should be sent no later than 15:00 AEST (10:30hrs IST) on Friday 1 October 2021.

Please also refer to the following Q&A based on questions previously received:

AICCTP Round 2 grant application Q&As - part 1 DOCX/PDF

The AICCTP Grant Round 1 was open from applications from 23 December 2020 to 5 February 2021. Australian Foreign Minister Payne announced a total of three successful projects on 21 April 2021. These included funding awarded to develop ethical frameworks and best practices for emerging quantum technologies, to operationalise ethical frameworks in the critical technology supply chains of global companies and to address privacy and security challenges in next generation telecommunications networks. We encourage potential applicants for Round 2 to read more about these successful projects on the DFAT website before applying.  

• AICCTP grant program guidelines (DOCX/PDF)
• Online application form for AICCTP grant round 2
• Media Release, by Australia's former Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Marise Payne, 4 June 2020: Australia and India agree new partnership on cyber and critical technology
• Media Release, by Australia's former Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Marise Payne, 23 December 2020: Australia strengthens global discussion on cyber and critical technology
• Media Release, by Australia's former Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Marise Payne, 21 April 2021: Launch of Australia’s International Cyber and Critical Technology Engagement Strategy

Archive: Australia-India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership: Grant Round 1

March 13, 2023, 11:39 AM

A recap of Canadian employment trends by province and by industry.

According to Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey, employment in Canada stayed relatively the same (+22,000; +0.1%), following two monthly increases in December 2022 and January 2023.

The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.0%, which is just shy of the record-low 4.9% that was seen in the summer of 2022. There were just over 1 million unemployed persons in Canada in February, which is essentially unchanged from January.

In addition, employment was mostly unchanged among adults aged 25 to 54 years old, or core-aged adults. There was also little change in youth employment from the previous month.

Employment of women between the ages of 55-64 has increased by 30,000 (+1.9%) in February. Over 6 in 10 women in the age group were employed in February, the highest proportion on record.

In February 2023, 58.9% of women aged 15 and older were employed. This number is up from 58.1% in August 2022, but lower than the record high of 59.2% reached in October 2007. Employment for women rose by 214,000 from August 2022 to February 2023, accounting for 61% of employment growth over the period.

The professional, scientific, and technical services industry has been an important driver of employment growth, accounting for over one third of total net employment growth in the last three years. On a year-over-year basis, employment in this industry was up 4.7% (+84,000) in February, overtaking growth across all industries (+2.1%). In addition, hourly wages of employees in the industry were up 9.6% (+$3.83 to $43.69) over the same period, the fastest growth rate across industries.

The number of people employed in health care and social assistance grew by 0.6% or 15,000 in February. On a year-by-year basis, employment in health care and social assistance was up 1.7%, or 44,000.

Employment increased in public administration (+10,000, +0.9%) was up in February. The public administration industry includes those working for federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous governments and was concentrated in Ontario (+7,600; +1.7%) and New Brunswick (+1,500; +4.3%). Compared with February 2022, a year earlier, employment in the public administration industry was up 7.7%.

Employment decreased in business, building and other support services (-11,000; -1.5%) which is the first notable decline in over a year for the industry. The decline was most concentrated in Ontario (-16,000, -5.3%).

Employment remained mostly the same in wholesale and retail trade and construction.

Employment rose in Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Manitoba, and declined in Nova Scotia.

In Prince Edward Island, employment grew by 2.0% (+1,700) in February, which is the second increase in three months. More Prince Islanders were employed full-time in February (+2,400).

In Newfoundland and Labrador, employment increased by 1.6% (+3,800), the second employment increase in three months. The unemployment rate fell 1.9 percentage points.

In New Brunswick, employment increased by 1.3% (+5,100), also the second employment increase in three months. On a year-by-year basis, employment in the province increased by almost 5%.

In Manitoba, employment increased by 0.7% (4,900) after three months of little change, driven by full-time employment.

Nova Scotia was the only province to record an employment decline (-4,700; -0.9%) in February. The unemployment rate increased 0.7 percentage points in February to 5.7%.

There was little change in employment in the other provinces.

Read the recap of the December 2022 Labour Force Survey here.

March 07, 2023, 02:29 PM

Some of the best jobs in Canada for students to earn and support themselves.

As of November 15th, 2022, international students holding a valid study permit in Canada can now work an unlimited number of hours, during school semesters, until the end of 2023.

After analyzing reputable sources (IDP, CTV, ApplyBoard) on top jobs available to international students in Canada, CIC News has compiled the following list—with consideration to flexible work hours, fair pay, immersion in a field, and easy-going work responsibilities.

• Teaching Assistants (TA)—Average pay: $23 CAD/hour

This is one of the simplest roles to acquire, as most TA positions are reserved for students. TA jobs are advantageous because they allow students to immerse themselves in their field of study and get teaching experience—especially valuable for those pursuing a career in academia. This can also be an excellent chance to work closely with a specific professor or faculty, while being able to earn and support oneself. TA jobs are convenient as they typically occur on university/college campuses, saving students commuting time and travel costs.

• Server/Bartender/Mixologist—Average pay: $16 CAD/hour + tips

For international students of age, serving/bartending allows for a great deal of flexibility in choosing work hours, while providing a serious earnings boost (depending on hours worked and popularity of workplace) because of tips. Standard pre-tax tipping rates in Canada are between 15-18%, meaning that students working multiple hours a week can earn as much as $200-400 extra in just tips alone, with many reporting more.

• Ride-share Driver—Average pay: $19 CAD/hour

Ride-sharing applications like Uber and Lyft are very popular in student hotspots (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, etc.). To be eligible, students must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid driver’s license, a dependable car, and a smartphone. The job uniquely provides students complete freedom to set their work hours; working as much or as little as their schedule permits.

Note: Earnings can vary greatly depending on the time and distance of the rides that drivers drive, and how many rides they clear in a week.

• Tutor—Average pay: $30 CAD/hour

Like TA positions, tutoring can be another great way for students to earn money during their studies. Tutoring allows students to set their own prices, duties, and hours of work. This can also enable students to immerse themselves in a field of study with a specific focus on teaching, while not having to worry about administrative work.

• Freelancer—Average pay: $23 CAD/hour

A broad job category that encompasses a wide range of occupations, being a freelancer can yield a wealth of opportunities for students—with flexibility of work hours and independence to decide work rates. Freelancing is also a great opportunity to establish one’s name and work in an industry/profession of interest. While this work can be tough as students initially establish themselves and entice more customers, freelance work provides a number of professional avenues for those motivated enough to pursue this path during their studies.

Whether students are interested in pursuing any of the above roles, or they want to continue to explore their employment options, the following resources can be used to aid that search:

• CanadaVisa Job Search Tool—A comprehensive tool that pulls results from both government and private job posting portals;
• LinkedIn—The networking platform amalgamates postings from around the web, making it an easy place to begin the job search;
• Indeed—An international job posting site with millions of postings;
• JobBank.ca—The official job bank maintained and updated by the Canadian government;
• Workopolis—A job posting site that provides job services in both English and French;
• TalentEgg—An online job portal made specifically for students and recent graduates;
• Magnet—A not-for-profit platform that connects Canadian workers with opportunities; and
• LeapGrad—A relatively new platform created to connect students and new graduates with employers who are hiring;

As international students work through their studies, there are three key factors, that should be paid close attention to: pay, working conditions, and immigration considerations.

On April 1, 2022, Canada voted to implement a new federal minimum wage policy, raising the nation-wide minimum wage to $15.55 CAD/hour, with the promise of adjustments based on inflation. International students should ensure (outside of specific employment arrangements like Co-op positions) that their wages are at least commensurate with this number.

Additionally, international students should be aware that as temporary foreign workers in Canada, they are afforded all the same workers’ rights as Canadian permanent residents and citizens. Should an international student find that their employers are in violation of any of their worker’s rights, they are empowered by law to report them to the appropriate authorities.

International students should also keep in mind conditions that they must meet, to be eligible for a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)—to further work and potentially immigrate to Canada. Namely, international students must maintain full-time status for the duration of their studies. This is one of the most important conditions to receiving a PGWP and should be carefully adhered to now that international students are able to work full time hours during school semesters. If international graduates apply for a PGWP before the expiration of their study permit, they will be eligible to continue working full time under maintained status, even before a decision is received on their application.

Lastly, international students should note that anyone work done pre-graduation (as a full-time student) does not count towards immigration eligibility (with most streams requiring at least a year’s worth of full-time work experience). This makes the PGWP so crucial for students hoping to settle permanently in Canada.

February 27, 2023, 07:07 AM

A removal order is provided when someone is deemed inadmissible to Canada, but the recipient of the order has the option to appeal that decision. Read more to understand how the appeal process for removal orders works.

If deemed inadmissible to Canada, there are three different types of removal orders that you may receive.

The first, and least “severe”, type of removal order is a departure order. With this type of removal order, the inadmissible party must depart Canada within 30 days of the departure order taking effect. They must also confirm their departure with CBSA at their port of exit. This removal order is the least severe of the three because it includes a condition citing that “if [the individual leaves] Canada and [follows] these procedures, [they] may return to Canada in the future [if they] meet the entry requirements at that time.”

Note: A departure order evolves into a deportation order if the individual takes longer than 30 days to leave Canada or does not formally confirm their departure with CBSA. In that case, an Authorization to Return to Canada (ARC) must be obtained if the person wants to come back to this country in the future.

The next most severe type of removal order is an exclusion order, which blocks re-entry to Canada for one year. This period extends to five years, however, if the order was handed down due to any kind of misrepresentation. Recipients of this order can explore returning to Canada in less than a year if they apply for an ARC. Finally, a crucial stipulation of exclusion orders is that if the CBSA paid for the removal of the individual in question, they must repay that amount.

The most severe type of removal order, deportation orders permanently bar the individual in question from returning to Canada unless they apply for an ARC. Much like the stipulation involved with exclusion orders, the individual being deported must repay any removal costs initially paid for by the CBSA and in this case, repayment of this cost is a precursor to being eligible to return to Canada at all.

Despite receiving a removal order, it is important to understand that simply being ordered to leave Canada does not mark the end of one’s journey in this country.

In other words, recipients of removal orders have the option to appeal that decision, a process that changes slightly depending on the circumstances of an individual person’s situation.

A foreign national who holds a permanent resident visa or is a Canadian permanent resident/ protected person must provide their notice of appeal to the Division together with the removal order to appeal the decision.

The notice of appeal and the removal order must be received by the Immigration Appeal Division no later than 30 days after receipt of the removal order.

It is now the Appeal Division’s responsibility to provide the notice of appeal and the removal order to the Immigration Minister without delay, after which the Minister must prepare an appeal record that contains:

• A table of contents
• The removal order
• Any relevant document(s) pertaining to the removal order or to an issue in the appeal
• A description of the reasons behind the Minister’s decision to make the removal order

The Minister must now provide both the individual filing the appeal and the Immigration Appeal Division with the appeal record. At the same time, the Immigration Minister must provide the Immigration Appeal Division with a written statement of how and when the appeal record was provided to the person making the appeal.

Note: The process described in the paragraph above must be completed no later than 45 days after the Minister themselves received the notice of appeal

In a circumstance where the Immigration Appeal Division does not receive the appeal within 45 days, they may ask the Minister to explain why the appeal record was not provided on time and why the appeal record should be accepted late. Alternatively, the Appeal Division may schedule and start the hearing without (or with only part of) the appeal record.

In this circumstance, any foreign national who holds a permanent resident visa or is a Canadian permanent resident (or a protected person) can do so if they provide their notice of appeal at the end of their hearing. The notice of appeal can either be provided by hand to the Immigration Division member who made the removal order or directly to the Immigration Appeal Division, together with the removal order.

At this moment, in cases that align with the first bullet point above, it is the duty of the Immigration Division to pass on the provided notice to the Immigration Appeal Division without delay.

In the case that the notice of appeal is given directly to the Immigration Appeal Division, the notice of appeal and the removal order must together be received within 30 of when the foreign national received the removal order. Like the other circumstance (by hand), the Immigration Appeal Division must provide the notice to the Immigration Division without delay

Following this step, the Immigration Appeal Division must provide both the notice of appeal and the removal order to the Immigration Minister without delay, during which time the Immigration Division must prepare an appeal record that contains:

• A table of contents
• The removal order
• The transcript of the admissibility hearing
• Any document(s) accepted as evidence at the admissibility hearing
• A description of the reasons behind the Immigration Division’s decision to make the removal order

The Immigration Division must then, within 45 days of receiving the notice of appeal, provide the appeal record to the individual filing the appeal, the Minister, and the Immigration Appeal Division.

Understanding all the details involved with removal order appeals can be confusing. However, retaining an immigration lawyer can make things a lot easier. Immigration law professionals can:

• Help prepare an appeal
• Ensure applicants avoid mistakes
• Respond on an applicant’s behalf to the Canadian government
• Use their expertise to avoid unnecessary delays throughout the different appeal processing steps

February 21, 2023, 10:53 AM

What are the differences, and benefits of studying in each country?

There are an estimated 1.57 million international students, between Canada and the United States (U.S.), with tens of thousands more set to enter North America annually, in pursuit of higher education.

The decision to study in either the U.S. or Canada is one that many of these students will face. While the two nations are comparable with respect to quality of education, and post-Graduation employment opportunities —there are key differences in tuition, financial aid, and immigration opportunities post-graduation, that have made Canada a preferred destination among international students.

Though quality of education is often specific to individual academic institutions (and programs of study), there are notable comparisons that can be made higher education in Canada and the U.S.

In the 2023, QS (an internationally recognized higher education analytics agency) ranked the best student cities internationally. Canada held three of the top 20 spots (Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver), while the United States held two (Boston and New York City). This is a general indication of evenness in the quality of education between both countries—at least in the cities that make up their post-secondary educational hubs.

While this is helpful, what happens when we look at data on a country-by-country basis?

A recent survey conducted by the IDP (International Development Project)—an international education organization specializing in student placement in Canada, Australia, and the US—found that Canada was overwhelmingly the top choice destination of study among international students: 27% of respondents consider Canada as their first choice. By comparison only 15% of respondents picked the U.S., which ranked fourth—trailing behind Australia and the United Kingdom (U.K.) respectively.

If quality of education is largely similar, are there other reasons that international students strongly preferred Canada to the U.S.?

Tuition costs are a huge factor in choosing where to study abroad. In the U.S., the average cost of education is between $20,000 to $60,000 USD, depending on whether one attends a public or private institution, and what level of study one is pursuing.

Conversely, the average cost of post-secondary education in Canada is between $20,000 to $40,000 CAD—again dependent on institution and level of study. Note however, the difference in currency. Canada’s more favourable exchange rate with international currency (in addition to lower average tuition costs) makes it an attractive destination for international students—especially when compared to the U.S.

International students may also consider the availability of scholarships and bursaries. While the United States does have state funded, and institution-specific scholarships for international students—there are no federally funded programs to deliver financial aid to international students. International students in the U.S. are also eligible for student loans, though they will need a credit-worthy co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Meanwhile, Canada has scholarships for international students on the university, provincial and federal level, that are often much easier to avail than comparable programs in the U.S. Additionally, international students are also able to take out loans with the same terms and repayment schedules as Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Work outcomes were largely the same for international students in both Canada and the U.S., with some noted difference between the two.

For example, a survey by World Education News + Review (WENR) found that 62% of 1,095 international alumni respondents had found full-time employment after graduation. The National Bureau of Economic Research also found that roughly 23% of Master’s graduates found work in their state of study.

Comparatively, a 2022 study conducted by Statistics Canada found that international graduates at all levels of study had on average a 73% full-time employment rate.

In summary, while Canada does have much higher international graduate participance in the workforce, work outcomes are largely comparable.

However, work for many is not just a means of financial security, but also a path to immigrating permanently to the country of their study.

While attaining a green card for permanent residence (PR) in the U.S. can be difficult, international students in Canada have a much simpler time staying permanently—with clear paths to PR available after graduation.

In the U.S., the path to a green card after graduation as an international student usually involves one of three pathways:

• Apply as an immigrant worker (economic immigrant) under one of five “preference” categories, or apply themselves for the same visa as a person with extraordinary abilities;
• Apply as an immigrant investor; or
• Apply as the spouse/fiancé of a U.S. citizen.

While there are multiple options that international students can avail to temporarily extend their stay in the U.S. as foreign workers, there are fewer paths to obtaining a green card afterwards. One should note that the annual total of economic immigrants eligible for a green card is only 140,000 (between all three “preference” streams), with spouses and children of approved immigrants also counting against this number. The actual number of immigrants admitted to this stream tends to be less than the stated maximum.

Meanwhile, in Canada, immigration for international students tends to be much simpler. Students who have studied in an eligible program (minimum one year), at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) may apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP). This is an open work permit that enables graduates to work in most industries, and for almost any employer. After obtaining at least one year of Canadian work experience, international students can pursue any of the following pathways to PR:

• Express Entry—specifically the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) pathway, which is designed for newcomers with Canadian work experience to become permanent residents;
• The Provincial Nominee Program, which allows specific provinces to nominate immigrants to settle in their province, with provinces often having specialized streams for international graduates;
• Quebec immigration (which operates independently), including the Quebec Experience Program, designed for newcomers who have Quebecois work and education experience; or
• Spousal sponsorship for newcomers who have married a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

These immigration opportunities, in conjunction with internationally accredited education institutions, favourable prices, multiple financial aid options, and positive work outcomes have made Canada one of the most widely sought-after international study destinations. For many, education represents a path to a better life, and Canada is uniquely able to give international students this opportunity through its immigration pathways.